The Forensic Psychiatry interest group (a.k.a. committee on psychiatry and law) looks forward to another active year. We met three times in the last year to grapple with issues relating to the Rogers Decision. We discussed the theoretical foundations of Rogers, and how it is implemented in actual practice. We brought together attorneys from the Committee for Public Counsel Services led by Attorney Mark Larsen with psychiatrists who work in various settings and with various patient populations throughout the state. We included attorneys who work for local hospitals. Judge Rosemary Minehan joined us to think about the issues that play out at Bridgewater State Hospital. We recognize the inevitable conflicts that arise in an adversarial process while at the same time working together to overcome inefficiencies and delays that arise in actual practice. We plan to build on the momentum by meeting several times this year with a continuing focus of fine tuning and improving the processes related to Commitment, Guardianship, antipsychotic medication treatment plans, informed consent, and other topics of relevance to psychiatric practice and the law.

COMMITTEE CHARGE:

Forensics Committee

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From THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY

Article XVI –Committees

There shall be the following standing Committees of the MPS: Executive, Nominating, Membership, Constitution and Bylaws, Fellowship, Ethics and Continuing Medical Education.

The President may establish or eliminate other committees or other organizational entities as may be necessary to implement the objectives of the MPS.

All Chairs of MPS committees or other entities are to be appointed yearly by the President [except where otherwise specified in the Constitution and Bylaws and shall be limited to three consecutive terms] unless this term limit is overridden by a two-thirds vote of the MPS Executive Committee.

No member of the MPS or organizational unit thereof shall speak in the name of, or encumber the funds of, the MPS unless such power is specifically granted by the MPS President or by a formal action of the Council of the MPS.

Article XVII –Attendance

Attendance at meetings of the Council, committees or other organizational entities: shall be open to all members of the MPS except for the meetings of the Ethics Committee. All organizational entities of the MPS may go into Executive Session.